What to do with Christmas

Last year, I blogged about Santa and our family's decision to not include Santa in our Christmas celebration. As I reread that post, I enjoyed seeing the thought process that Curtis and I went through to get to that decision, the reasons behind our decision, but most of all the conversation that was stimulated.

Nothing has changed on the Santa front this year. Though Elizabeth seems to have a very clear understanding of Christmas, the birth of Jesus, and the reality of Jesus versus the fantasy of Santa, the boys aren't there yet.

When I asked Micah what Christmas was about, he excitedly proclaimed, "It's about GIVING!!!" At first glance, this is a great response. I don't ever want my children to get to the point where they think Christmas is about getting gifts. However, when I heard his response, I realized the secular impact that this answer held. All the Christmas specials (and I'm think about Dora and Strawberry Shortcake) out there are sending a message to my children. "Christmas is not about getting, it's about giving!" And while this is true, that is NOT what I want my children to think Christmas is about. I was longing to hear my son say, "It's about Jesus! He was born so that he could die to save us from our sins and make a way to Heaven!"

Have I been talking with the kids about Jesus? Of course!! Have we been working through a Christmas devotional as a family? Absolutely!! Am I still taking my children to church so that they can hear from the pulpit the message of Jesus' birth? You bet!! But I'm still being drowned out by the secular message that this world is sending to my children.

Aside from turning the TV off completely, and not letting my children watch any TV during this time of the year (which would be a suicide mission for me at this point), what can I do to undo and drown out the secular noise that is bombarding my family?

Enter the Jesse Tree My parent's church encourages the families of the church to do a Jesse Tree, along with the devotions that go with it. My Mom secured a Jesse tree for my family last year, along with all the ornaments. We've used the Jesse Tree as a tool in teaching our children the REAL meaning of Christmas.

Each ornament placed on the Jesse tree tells the story of God's covenants faithfulness in the centuries leading up to the Promised One's birth. The devotional for Day One deals with God creating the world. My kids smiled, nodded, but there was no new info here! This was the attitude that I saw through the first several days. Creation. Know it! Fall of man. Bad, got it! Noah and the Ark. Yep, there was a rainbow symbolizing God's promise.

But as we've gotten further into the devotionals, we've started hitting some less familiar stories. Like Canann, the Promised Land of Blessings; Ruth and Boaz; Josiah finds the Law. As we move through these stories, I'm seeing a new understanding in my children. I'm finding great joy in sharing these stories with my children, and pointing them towards Jesus. Being able to show them how Jesus is in EVERY part of the Bible, and how even the most well known stories can be shown in a new way has been a delight. The story of Christmas doesn't start in Luke, or even in Isaiah. It starts in Genesis, when man falls and needs a savior. Being able to walk my children through the Christmas story, starting in Genesis, and trace God's promises has been wonderful!

Granted, they probably still hear more secular views on Christmas. But I am trusting that the seeds that are being planted in their hearts will take root and grow into faith.

And I'm finding that spending so much time focusing on the story of salvation leaves very little time for Santa. I am hoping to be able to focus on the historical figure of St. Nick at some point. I think part of Christmas is teaching my children to be cheerful givers, and the story of St. Nicholas can aid in doing that. But I'd rather get lost with my children in the stories of the Bible that point them to the Nativity than the history of a good man.